res, it was impossible to help staring.

As soon as we landed, three other gentlemen came to welcome the ones I
had saved, and seemed very glad to see them. They appeared to have just
landed from a tub in which was a drum, rub-a-dub-dubbing all by itself.
One of the new men had a white frock on, and carried a large knife; the
second had dough on his hands, flour on his coat, and a hot-looking
face; the third was very greasy, had a bundle of candles under his arm,
and a ball of wicking half out of his pocket. The six shook hands, and
walked away together, talking about a fair; and left me to take care of
myself.

I walked on through a pleasant meadow, where a pretty little girl was
looking sadly up at a row of sheep's tails hung on a tree. I also saw a
little boy in blue, asleep by a haycock; and another boy taking aim at a
cock-sparrow, who clapped his wings and flew away. Presently I saw two
more little girls: one sat by a fire warming her toes; and, when I asked
what her name was, she said pleasantly:

"Polly Flinders, ma'am."

The other one sat on a tuft of grass, eating something that looked very
nice; but, all of a sudden, she dropped her bowl, and ran away, looking
very much frightened.

"What's the matter with her?" I asked of a gay young frog who came
tripping along with his hat under his arm.

"Miss Muffit is a fashionable lady, and afraid of spiders, madam; also
of frogs." And he puffed himself angrily up, till his eyes quite
goggled in his head.

"And, pray, who are you, sir?" I asked, staring at his white vest, green
coat, and fine cravat.

"Excuse me, if I don't give my name, ma'am. My false friend, the rat,
got me into a sad scrape once; and Rowley insists upon it that a duck
destroyed me, which is all gammon, ma'am,--all gammon."

With that, the frog skipped away; and I turned into a narrow lane, which
seemed to lead toward some music. I had not gone far, when I heard the
rumbling of a wheelbarrow, and saw a little man wheeling a little woman
along. The little man looked very hot and tired; but the little woman
looked very nice, in a smart bonnet and shawl, and kept looking at a new
gold ring on her finger, as she rode along under her little umbrella. I
was wondering who they were, when down went the wheelbarrow; and the
little lady screamed so dismally that I ran away, lest I should get into
trouble,--being a stranger.

Turning a corner, I came upon a very charming scene, and slipped into a